Summary:
Zip code 39345, serving Newton, Mississippi, includes three public schools—Newton Elementary School, N H Pilate Middle School, and Newton High School—a complete PK–12 pipeline within the Newton Municipal School District, which is rated one star and places in the bottom quarter of Mississippi districts. Across these schools, 782 students are served, with very high poverty rates and a mixed academic picture.
The clear standout is Newton High School, the only school in the zip code to earn two stars. It improved from the 23rd to 48th percentile in one year, boasts a 95.7% graduation rate versus the state’s 89.2%, and exceeds the state in Algebra I (77.3% vs. 66.0%). It also essentially matches the state in Biology. However, English II proficiency is a weak spot at 37.0% vs. 49.3% statewide. By contrast, N H Pilate Middle School has slid from the 34th to 15th percentile over two years, with only a 12.9% proficiency rate in 6th grade math in 2025–2026, a nearly 40-point gap from the state. Newton Elementary School ranks at the 12th percentile, with 5th grade science proficiency (37.0%) far below the state (71.5%).
Attendance patterns are surprising: the middle school has the highest poverty rate (90.45% free/reduced lunch) yet the lowest chronic absenteeism (6.5%), while the high school has lower poverty but much higher chronic absenteeism (23.7%). The elementary school also keeps absenteeism low at 7.0%. In terms of resources, the high school has the most favorable student-teacher ratio (9.8) compared to middle (13.5) and elementary (15.4). The middle school’s math dip appears tied to a particularly weak 6th grade cohort, since last year’s 6th grade class scored similarly as 7th graders. Overall, parents should see Newton High School as a genuine bright spot, while the elementary and middle schools need targeted support, especially in literacy and science.
Thank you for your feedback!